Meeting to address children's health care

The Daily News - Published June 6, 2007

The status of children's health care in Texas, the health-care crisis
endured by children of undocumented immigrants and the global
pediatric HIV crisis head the list of topics at the 56th annual
Pediatrics by the Sea Review and Update.

The event is set for Friday and Saturday at the Galveston Island
Convention Center, 5600 Seawall Blvd.

About 200 physicians and nurses are expected to attend the two-day
conference, sponsored by the Department of Pediatrics at the
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

Dr. John Hellerstedt, medical director of Texas Medicaid and the
Children's Health Insurance Program, will talk about access to care
for Texas children.

Dr. Gilberto Handal, chairman of pediatrics at Texas Tech University
Health Sciences Center at El Paso, will discuss the problems related
to providing health-care services to children of undocumented
immigrants.

Dr. Mark W. Kline, director of the Baylor International Pediatric
AIDS Initiative at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, will
discuss the global pediatric HIV crisis.

Dr. Janak Patel, chairman of the conference organizing committee,
said: "These speakers are of particular interest because they'll be
talking about issues that involve public policy in Texas and the
world."